Are Psionic's now Core Rules?

[Zweischneid]

A short while ago, I was a bit unsettled with the organisation of the Player's Guide to Faerun.
It seemed, that to utilize every option in this book you needed access to at least 8 (!) pricy books on your shelfs (PHB, DMG, MM, FRCS, XPH, BoVD & BoED).
If you didn't, you payed the hefty FR-Price Tag without being able to use about 1/5th of the content.

I found, that especially concerning Psionic, this design seemed to become quite popular. Many recent WoTC products like Races of Stone or Frostburn have quite a few pages dedicated to Psionics.


So, now the question out to the people... has the XPH (Psionic Handbook) stealthily upgraded itself to be Core Rulebook No.4 or no? Opinions?

 

[MerricB]

Psionics is now acknowledged as being a popular part of the rules, but I don't think it's quite required that you have it.

However, there's only a scant handful of pages of Psionic-related material in Races of Stone and Frostburn - not really enough to devalue the book.

Player's Guide to Faerun is a special case as it's an update book for 3.5e. How many pages in it deal with psionics, anyway?

I prefer that new books at least acknowledge the old ones. I thought Frostburn was exceptional in that sense - very little of it really required non-core books, but it understood that they existed.

Cheers!

 

[Starman]

No, they are not core rules. They are not in the three core rule books. However, I am glad to see more cross-referencing between Wizard's books. They have not come close to going overboard, as far as I am concerned. In fact, this has made my purchases more worthwhile.

Starman

 

[johnsemlak]

I don't think that the total amount of content in books like Frostburn or RoS devoted to Psionics is that much. While I also don't generally use Psionics, I support minimal cross-referencing. I think it's a good thing to refer to non-core products, as long as it is not essential to have those non-core products.

To answer the main question, no I don't think the ExPsiHb is a core rule book. It is perfectly possible to run a D&D campaign without it.

 

[kolikeos]

i never used psionics and never will most likely

 

[Telperion]

Psionics are an optional rule to me, although they are part of the Scarred Lands campaign setting. There aren't all that many psionic creatures / characters around, so I can ignore psionics as much as I like.

I don't particularly dislike psionics as such, but using the XPH also requires reading through it(something I have done), thinking about the effect it is going to have on my campaign, creating viable psionic NPCs, considering balance issues and so forth...a lot of work, really...

I'm leaning towards the KISS-method these days, as far as rules are concerned. Although someone could argue against that, since I'll be allowing about ten to twelve player's guides and such for my players by the time my next campaign begins.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

No. Strictly optional.

My hat of psionics know no limit.

 

[Chroma]

No. Strictly optional.

My hat of psionics know no limit.

Is it a tin-foil hat?

 

[Gez]

Wizards is faced with a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" dilemma.

If they cross-reference material, as TSR did, the reaction is: "Waaaa! Those evil capitalist pigs want me to buy their whole line to use just one wee book!"

If they assume, as they did in the first days of 3e, that you have the three core rulebooks and nothing else, the reaction is:
"Waaaa! Those evil corporate bastards do not support the <epic/psionic/divine/oriental/vile/exalted/whatever> niche material, what do they do about fans' feelings?"

I think that their approach now is a good balance between both. Options are supported, but not required. And don't whine about wasted paper -- I prefer they put one or two pages of options I have no need for than they pad the whole book with those overprinted clip-art pieces.

 

[Particle_Man]

Its not core, but I wish it were. File off the serial numbers and it works better, and more true to fantasy novels, than arcane magic as presently described in D&D.